No More, No Less
by BuffaloSoldia115
Summary: "When you look at the world, the world looks back. There is no greater temptation, for its influence can render your soul malleable. Only then, can you truly understand what can be preserved within yourself. For my future, I must live to better myself. For my future, I must live for those who cannot." -Akio Jin.
1. Death

The island had served as a training ground to the two Jedi pupils over the course of their lives. Looking back on it, had served to be much more than a training ground, but also a place to strengthen and grow bonds.

Those days of training in isolation had long passed.

Her wish had now been granted.

It remains undetermined as to how many there were left in the post-apocalyptic, fragile Earth, who could call upon the Force and choose what they may do with that power.

The only thing that made him certain of was that he would not let go of the promise to continue to carry on his life so he can take the footsteps that others before him were unable to proceed.

The friend that he would remember, now stood still, awaiting to become nothing more but ash on the sands of the beach. In doing so, he believed that she may truly transcend beyond the flesh and become something unbound by the barriers of life and death.

He wished to say goodbye to her alone.

Alone, away from company to stand beside him, he stared into the fire for what seemed to have been hours, and watch as the body simply wither away until nothing remained.

Even in the depths of night, he could still feel a warm chill caress his shoulders as he heard the piercing wind of the ocean whistle as if it was calling to him.

Drowning out the everlasting presence of darkness that surrounded the world, his eyes focused to the illumination of the raging flames that continued to wither the body of his friend…

One question surfaced deep within his mind as he continued to watch the body burn.

Will the Earth ever develop a forgiving tolerance for the Jedi Knights ever again?


	2. Post Temptation Part I: Time

In the upcoming frontiers of survival, all manpower and strength was diverted towards the aid of other survivors.

They hoped that all who have been affected by the sudden wave of chaos that befell the world upon what was dubbed 'Z-Day', would be freed of illness and prepared to return to a secure life.

The last remaining chance for the survival of the human race would take form in the body of a young man.

His name was Akio Jin.

On one side, he was nothing more than just a teenager concealed amongst the sea of youth in Japan simply trying to make it through their studies so they may secure the future that they sought to obtain. That was so long ago…that present was now gone.

The present had something more treacherous to offer. It had forced him into a tight corner and the only way to push himself out of that corner was to reveal himself to be the very thing that the Earth despised; A Jedi.

With the vast majority, it had not been well received, but Akio still had close friends and allies that have accepted his unique traits despite what the rest have proclaimed.

More than just a Jedi, he was also the product of a Sith experiment occurring beneath the radar of world affairs. For many years, the Sith have plotted their courses of action by making use of anyone they deemed worthy to be their weapon.

They had sought out those who were naturally born with the gift of the Force, and Akio was one of many children to have been stolen over the course of a seventy year time span.

September of 2012 is when everything began to change, forcing Akio to take steps to intervene with a plan that he could no longer associate himself with. The one who held him hostage all those years ago, unleashed a plague that crippled the very foundation of society itself.

The world was nothing more than a valley of death. The dead walked, and the living swarmed like bugs to find the light before the dead could consume them.

He was armed with more than the tools and abilities of a Jedi Knight, for he had friends who still believed in him and stuck with him throughout the duration of the disaster. They trusted him with their lives but now that the smoke has cleared, it was now time to make an attempt to expand that trust to the rest of the surviving inhabitants that persisted beyond death's temptation to give in.

Two months have passed since then…


	3. Post Temptation Part II: Dismay

Time was running short.

People were still dying.

Akio, alongside his subordinates, needed to act fast if they were to discover a cure for the outbreak. A few months ago, the end of Akio's journey resulted in the defeat of his former Sith master and led him, and his friends, to collaborate and be brought under the protection of the surviving members of the Japanese Self Defense Force.

Much weight was being pressed down on the fabrics of his very soul. Someone who was so young, and yet so vigilant was the Jedi that everyone was looking up to.

Whether they praised him for his continued efforts and his abilities, or they despised him _because_ of those abilities, it didn't change the fact that he was still a seventeen year old boy robbed of his education, his future, and so much more.

Not just him, but so many others as well and not all were there to endure past the beginnings of the onslaught. Akio still shivered at the thought of the hundreds of students that were unable to make it out of Fujimi Academy…and the family that he failed to shield.

He was grateful that he was able to assist in the escape of a group of students and a few teachers, but guilt reflecting back at his regret made him wish he could have taken action far sooner than the day of the outbreak.

There was an everlasting deterrent for him to take action to the full extent of his efforts. That deterrent was the people's ability to digest the presence of a Jedi, one, who in their eyes, possessed a greater power and weapon deemed a threat to their lives.

The ones who could still appreciate Akio being there were his new advisers of the Japanese Self Defense Force, and his high school friends who were alive and well thanks to his efforts.

The brutal task left to them was offering aid to the survivors of Tokonosu City, at the evacuation site of Shintoko Third Elementary School. Anyone who was still out in the streets, Akio was responsible to extract and bring them in for safety. Quarantine and medical were the first necessary steps in keeping the place secure, while splitting up those who were infected from the rest of the survivors.


	4. Post Temptation Part III: The Force

It was a badge of burden to wear the fatigues of a soldier, and the symbolic influence of the Jedi Order. His uniform represented that through the custom made patch that was used to engrave the Jedi Order onto his sleeve.

He often caught himself staring blankly at the patch attached to the right arm on his new gray camouflage patterned uniform, looking at the vibrant, light blue colored patch, with the Jedi insignia colored white, while the outline of the patch remained black.

The symbol alone was not enough to represent the faction, for there was a weapon that only Jedi Knight could understand, carry, and wield.

The lightsaber.

It has been deemed one of the most dangerous weapons for a person to possess, for it is hazardous to possess and wield one without proper training or wits. There was a time that almost all of them were destroyed, wiped from existence in the aftermath of the ashes that held the chars of the old Jedi Order in 1966.

Despite all of the carnage, there were only two known ways that the general public were made aware of the lightsaber once again.

One. Reports of unlicensed trading on the black market dedicated to old lightsabers.

Two. If any remaining Force sensitives still possessed the knowledge and desire to construct one, and word got out that there was an attempt to salvage together the weapon.

Akio thought back to himself and what events have transpired over the course of his lifetime.

It would have been very different if it weren't for his companion, Mizuki Muto. If it weren't for her, his father would not have sparked the desire within himself to secretly wield one again. Those were events long grounded by the barriers of history, merely twelve years previously, when Akio was stolen to be the weapon of a Sith hiding below ground, in plain sight.

If it weren't for that initial capture, he would have never been able to hold a lightsaber in his hands. He was underneath that Sith's roof for seven years, only for Mizuki to free him armed with her own weapon, in addition to his father training her under his wing.

The day Akio was captured was the day that Mizuki was brought in.

That's how it all started…that's the very reason why he was standing before the evacuation site in Shintoko Third Elementary School, ready to enter the quarantine shelter that was being housed within the school.

Many things from that point in time to his final confrontation with his old Sith master, his mind raced with the thoughts of those events.

Perhaps there would come a time for Akio to lead the next generation of Jedi Knights? He often trembled on this question. The world was not ready to accept the Jedi, let alone be willing to stand beside their neighbour, knowing full well that they possess a link to great power of the energy that had been dubbed 'The Force' by Jedi and Sith alike.

As one who was familiar with his connection to the Force, Akio could detect even a small dose of aura emanating from a person. Not a single soul caught him by surprise, for there were no Force sensitives living amongst the evacuation site.

 _"Akio, are you ready to come inside?"_

"I am en route. Entering the building now. Out."

Finding his people would have to wait. For the time being, he needed to find a solution to combat the disease.


	5. Chapter 1: Containment

Commander Rika Minami.

Akio became acquainted with one of the Japanese Self Defense Force's most elite snipers at the top of the tower in Tokonosu City Hall. He never would have an easy meetup, let alone hear who Minami was, if it weren't for the surviving nurse of Fujimi Academy that he helped escape the school, Shizuka Marikawa.

In these past few months, Akio and Minami have been co-instructing one another to lead a team of researchers down to the laboratories left behind by Akio's former master, Ichirou Shido, the former Minister.

Leads to develop a vaccine were scarce, and the skills of these researchers were scarce to scrounge together too. Not too many were fit to analyze this subject, and they've had to rely on whatever civilian and soldier they could find who was capable in this field.

Every step and process that had to be take, was taken. Commander Minami, and the rest of the military, were fully aware of the experimentation that Akio was given. What they wanted to really know was how Akio was the only child who survived the treatment.

With thorough analysis of the virus itself, the virus and its relationship with Akio's blood, they had thought they were going to find the savior that they had all sought to reveal to the world. Those who weren't already those flesh hungry, shell case walking bodies that were once people, could still have a possibility to survive. Assuming they can take the steps to develop a cure in their small pinched corner of the world, putting an end to the epidemic to countries far beyond Japan could one day become a reality.

And as for the dead that already walked…they are already badly decomposed and beyond repair.

Nothing can be done for them, and the only solution for anyone to avoid death from any of them, was to stand and fight, hope for the best, and induce enough trauma to the head so they may be able to rest in peace.

* * *

Dead silence ruptured the ears of the eerie hallways that was once filled with the innocent tune of children's distant chattering, along with the choreographed teachers feeding young minds with basic knowledge. Those days were long gone, for what was left in the hallways was nothing but dread.

Thought silence was an easy way to take a toll on someone, especially when one housed the knowledge to the building's original purpose, now re-used as a quarantine facility to keep the infected at bay. The original build ups of walls and structure remained to stay, but one doorway to an open courtyard in the school was wrapped in a sealed tight blanket of a tent.

Any contact with sick individuals remained ill-advised. To keep themselves from becoming contagious, all staff members were provided with protective suits to keep the virus from infecting them. Akio, however, did not require a suit. He already had the virus settled in onto his body. It granted him, not only immunity, but also greater strength than any other Jedi Knight would have ever hoped to accomplish.

The only thing he was going in with was his weapon at his side.

They all needed to keep themselves on their toes. Infected individuals could still lose control of themselves and retaliate with little to no thought.

Akio kept all of this in mind, as he was greeted by two soldiers wearing their protective gear, guarding the entrance to the quarantine zone as they held their rifles firmly.

"Right on time." One of the men said, moving over to the side.

Remaining cloaked in silence, Akio bowed his head with a firm nod, and the two men granted him safe passage into the quarantine zone.

"Be careful in there!" They warned, as they pulled the door open slightly to reveal a tightly tied down tent sheet door.

Pushing through, he made sure that the sheet behind him was sealed shut before proceeding with his scheduled tasks. He rendezvoused with his co-operative soldiers covered from head to toe. They stood at attention to Akio's entrance, for he was able to have a bit of authority for overseeing these operations.

"Status report." Akio requested.

"A test is currently being run on an infected patient."

"Escort me to the patient. I only wish to see if the infected may have a chance to be rid of their sickness. If not, then we must endeavour to push on and preserve this site no matter the cost."

"Yes sir!"

The patient that they were examining was tied down, held together via straps that clamped down over his feet, hands, and torso, in maximum assurance that he would be held down in case if anything sporadic were to occur. In other words, if the patient were to lose consciousness and turn, they would easily be able to pull the trigger to prevent it from getting out.

A syringe that spewed out tiny bits of liquid from its contents inside through the tiny tip at the edge of it. The needle poked through the patient's skin, puncturing it as the medicine was administered. As the syringe's contents were emptied, the patient began to uncontrollably twitch and yelp out in pain, crying out for what sounded like the name of a family member.

This was yet…another father who had stuck together with his offspring, like many others who resided within the camp. The screaming and the twitching died down, with the man's final breath causing him to vomit gushing little particles of blood into the air.

"DAMMIT!" One of the men exclaimed, frustrated.

"Failure again…" Akio grumbled. "We must inform Commander Minami that we have not found our solution to this plague…"

Tightening and squinting his eyelids, he heard the slight rumble of growling coming from the dead infected patient. He sighed, reaching over to the lightsaber that dangled at his side. In a clean swipe of blue light, the turned patient's head was severed, and Akio proceeded to walk out with anger chaining down his consciousness.


	6. Chapter 2: Balance

Things were not exactly turning out the way they were expecting it to be. No matter what they seemed to try, they just always ended up failing the patient, this resulting in the same occurrence to sprout more and more doubt into the minds of the researchers, soldiers, staff, and guests that were housed within the evacuation site.

The man that Akio failed to save was no one to anyone in particular. Just another solemn face in the crowd trying his damn hardest to keep hope alive with the rest of the broken spirited people living in this fractured shell of an Earth.

Once the survivors heard of him being infected after a recent incident in front of the Elementary School, they immediately engraved his face into their minds to stay clear away from him.

Akio had not developed a personal attachment to the man, but he respected the man's intuitive to shield another person who was in intimate danger with one of 'them.' Not many people possessed that will to selflessly throw themselves into danger for the safety of another, especially in a world where the strong flourished and the weak perished.

That was still true and that reality still held itself together. Not everyone would be willing to share their resources and their ability to survive. This evacuation site, though meant for every person within its general vicinity in Tokonosu City, there were still those out there who chose to fight for themselves.

With that, Akio along with the soldiers would have to prepare for raids for anyone that needed to come to a quick solution to gather resources through wicked displays of domination and triumph. Though they failed, the loud screams and the echoing gunfire were enough to attract hordes of them to the evacuation site.

He needed some time alone, and the stress was just continuing to escalate to tremendous and unneeded levels. Though he could reconcile with his friends, he couldn't filter out the crying and begging people who were pinning their fears and the blame onto him alone. They ignored the soldiers and only turned so quickly as to accuse the Jedi Knight.

That's how recognizable the symbol of the Jedi seemed to dimmer, just not in the way that Akio had been hoping for…

* * *

It pained for him to do it, but he needed to get himself away from all of it.

The responsibility. The pain. The relations efforts.

He needed to isolate himself in the one place that he could truly feel a sense of relief and pureness…The Island right off the coast of Tokonosu City.

This island was once the island that he and his old companion, Mizuki, travelled to in order to maintain a regularly, safe training ground to practise the ways of the Jedi. Ever since Mizuki has long passed, Akio had his sights turned away from the old training grounds.

When he returned to lay down the body of Mizuki to set her a-flame and scatter her ashes, he had discovered that the island had hydrangea plants being cropped under the disguise of a seaside shack. Time was taken to remove the hallucinogenic plants from the island's surface, and the island was now able to breathe purely once more.

He had but one purpose now. He could not escape the reigns of responsibility. He still had information to uphold, and that information was contained in the Holocrons from both his father, and his master.

These were ancient artifacts that held different pieces of information of both the Jedi and Sith. Only those who could call on the Force could even have any slight chance of uncovering the knowledge embedded deep within them

Akio possessed two Holocrons.

One was a blue glowing, functional and mechanized cube that could only be unlocked through connecting to the Force. The Jedi Holocron was his father's.

To open the Holocron of the Sith that he had retrieved from his master, he had to have a deep connection to what Jedi and Sith developed a common consensus of naming, 'The Dark Side of the Force.'

Akio's exposure to the training and teachings, along with prolonged years of torment made him vulnerable to the temptation of the Dark Side, granting him the ability to interact with the knowledge embedded within the glowing red pyramid shaped Holocron.

Traversing the island was a walkthrough of memories that he had of the place. He could see phantom images of a memory playing before his eyes in a third person perspective. He saw many memories on his way to the cave. The sparring that he and Mizuki took part in, with Akio naturally having the more coordination to puncture her fighting style.

There were also memories of encouragement, with Akio offering Mizuki the necessary words and comfort to speak and express in order for her to maintain belief that she could become a better fighter.

And the last of many memories…love.

He merely was able to raise a light smile, but it soon faded as soon as he saw those images fade too, so he may return himself to the present. He reminded himself that the past was gone, and continued to move forward into the caves.

* * *

To balance the light and the dark would be a life-long trial of trying to figure who and what was right and wrong. Often, it seemed that the only compromise to navigate every single interpretation of 'right' and 'wrong' was to decide for himself what those things meant.

The world in its current state was an incorrect balance that needed to be shifted for order to return the people to solace and stability.

For the time being, he needed to repair the wounds that remained to be freshly open in his mind. His physical condition would remain unscathed, but there was one way that Akio could think of to ease his mind.

Meditation.

He sighed, sitting in the cavern, staring down at the small waterbed that resided in the cave, while looking up to see the reflection of water mirroring its flow the rocky surface, as if it were dancing.

He set aside his lightsaber, along with the lightsaber that he swore to hold onto for Mizuki long after her death, and set down the two Holocrons and placed them side by side in front of them. Any moment of silence, not even the slightest rasp of breath, could render the dripping of water down onto the cave's water silent.

Shining blue and red dangled together in the center of the cavern as the Holocrons levitated in mid-air. If there was to be some revelation to help him guide the people through to the sickness, he needed to find the answers by searching deep inside himself through the physical manifestation of the light and the dark, through those Holocrons.

He did not know if anything would show him a sign to the answers that he sook, but he continued…and continued…for hours.

Strange…where was that whistling wind coming from? Why did it feel like that sand was dripping down on his head?


	7. Chapter 3: Step One

He had never felt so constrained upon an awakening in his life. Not before he opened his eyes, he took the first breath and inhaled tiny particles of sand that lay scattered about on the floor, hacking away his lungs to spare him the brittle taste of suffocating on it.

This place…this place filled with sand brushing against its walls, and particles chipping away in gradual leaps of time, while heaps of sunlight leaked in from atop the rocky surface, was _not_ where Akio was meditating.

"WHAT…?! WHERE…?!"

His hand instinctively reached for the lightsaber that was held on the side of his belt, but his fingertips made no contact with the metal hilt, for there was no hilt to be held.

His heart began to race, as he struggled to move his rigged feeling legs while limping forward to find an answer as to his own whereabouts. In his weakened state, he was able to reach out through and it granted him an overwhelming urge to continue as if he were an insect seeking out mesmerizing light to draw himself to.

The energy that he could sense felt…overwhelming. The feeling of death and destruction was replaced with a flattening aura that made him feel true serenity for the first time in years.

The neutrality of this energy, despite its light weighing existence, caused his vision to sporadically ripple, rendering his vision blurry. And before he could even let out a grunt or scream, his body made contact with the sandy surface once more.

* * *

 _Was this what the cold embrace of death felt like? Is this freedom?_

No…he was not dead. He had merely manifested his soul into the lingering space of emptiness, where no people walked, and no hints of human creation lingered. It was a space that felt limitless, but yet contained in the presence of his own self.

"Why…Why must I come here? Why must the Force forsaken me…?"

He remained submissive, lying down on his stomach, putting no effort into holding his head high up as he remained idly on the "ground" of this dark and empty void. Breath was beginning to slow down and energy was dropping rapidly as the buzzing in his head gradually grew more and more intense.

An echo began to clack one by one, in the rhythm of footsteps. Looking ahead of him, he was able to make out the shape of a pair of brown leather boots that appeared to extend up a good halfway up the ankle. The presence felt very uplifting, as if all the negative energy that poked at his body was suddenly releasing itself and fading away into the void.

He could not see the hand that reached out to him in his crippled vision, but the feeling of his face being gently caressed with care was too blissful to remain ignorant too. A cold chill ran up his spine, and his brain registered that it was _her_ hand…Mizuki's hand. Though he felt a reluctance to move, he could feel his arm being weighed down over his hip, if only for a moment, as he was turned over onto his back.

Akio's sight only allowed her to appear as a blurry phantom, recognizing the shape of a full body cloaked in what appeared to be brown colored clothing. Even if she was speaking to him, no words could register through his weakened ears.

The blurry figure that was Mizuki, at least what he was able to make out, turned her head over to look to her side. In a split second afterwards, he felt his right palm covered by the warm touch of hers. He did not know what she looked like, as her face remained a pale blur, but he seemed to picture her showing a bit of concern for him…that face that she always gave him when he wasn't calm or under stress. Beady blue eyes and a mouth opened midway, along with the intent to move a little closer to him.

That's what he could remember.

As he lay there, he felt his left hand being wrapped around in her two hands, lifted only partially up off the ground.

"Argh…Mizuki…!"

Silence continued to perpetuate, flowing as still as their positions that they remained in. She gently placed his down back on the ground, and the soft, warm feeling was replaced with a weighing, cold piece of metal.

His lightsaber.

Akio yelped, yearning for her company to remain at his side, but no matter the degree of volume that he called out to her, she continued to gain more distance as she walked.

 _"You must live, Akio. You have to."_

* * *

Though he still felt the same weakening feeling from before, he now felt the urgency to stand on his two feet, hacking away his lungs as he tried to get rid of the built up sand that seemed to fester about in and out of his clothing, and inside his throat.

The pressure mounted at the base of his ankles and thighs still held gradual pain as he walked, but nevertheless, he continued forward. No matter what, keep moving forward. That's how she would have wanted it…and that's the very thing that he wanted.

If he was to continue living, he needed to live in order for those suffering people to survive.

The first step, was to get out of the cavern that he currently resided himself in. Allowing himself to balance his connection to the Force, he scanned the area that he walked, each step at a time, seeking out the energy that he knew was contained within his weapon.

"At last…!"

He didn't just find his own, but Mizuki's lightsaber as well. Not only that, there were the two Holocrons that he was meditating with previously. There was nothing more that he possessed on his belt, other than measly packets his side, but he felt himself rejuvenated when he picked up the items and packed them away neatly.

After the weapons' functionality was checked, he clipped the lightsaber that belonged to Mizuki at the side of his belt, while his own was held up in his own two hands, in which he trusted that the weapon would be faster to draw if danger should present itself. He sensed no imminent danger, but he needed his weapon in order to navigate the darkness that soon presented himself on his pathway.

From here on out, sunlight leaking through was not there to protect him. He only had his skills, training, and weapon.

* * *

He was able to make it out of the cavern alive, but was now met with a new obstacle that would set itself to block his path. A long desert with no sight of civilization.

If he needed to confirm his own accusations that he was no longer off the coast of Tokonosu City, this would be the green light to his suspicions being proven true.

A persistent sun continued to churn the sands, making the ground unbearably hot underneath his feet that were covered by his boots. Being covered from head to toe in his fatigues was not making it easy in the slightest to keep his body temperature from shutting him down due to the heat.

He persisted, desiring not to waste a single moment in time simply dreading on how he should survive.

* * *

Cold winds churned the sand, sending it to dance in the air. Being susceptible to the unforgiving temperature, Akio kept himself steady, fighting the aggressive wind that flowed against him, while clutching his palms over his chest to keep himself from falling over.

For countless hours, his chest tightened as his heart began to pump excessively. Running through his mind were the thoughts of the dying people affected by the outbreak. He only wished that he could have done so much more to make a better future for those people, but it only pained him to be met with failure when efforts were made to fix the reputation of the Jedi.

He feared that he was the last that ever will exist. Akio pledged to himself that whatever step he may take, he would live to fight another day, even if that day was not of his own home.

Eventually, the relenting storm would cease, and the overbearing light of the sun would soon set its heat in the grains of the sand that Akio walked on. As the time continued to pass, Akio's effort to stand on his feet were finally met with resolution.

"A…" Akio coughed, feeling his dry throat itch as he longed for a drink. "A village."

Despite the aching pain that was shooting up through his legs up to the upper regions of his body, he ran as quickly as his body would allow him to, and eventually got closer to the civilization's housing structures.

He hadn't the time to wonder what place he was in, for his exhaustion had finally rendered him immobile, thus being unable to stand on his feet. It was a good run, but now his body demanded that he shut down.

His eyes were rather dim, and his hearing buzzed once more before he submitted himself to the darkness of sleep.


	8. Chapter 4: Where Am I?

Slowly, but yet steadily, the sound of his beating heart and his stiff breathing began to bring forth awareness that would make him alive and whole once more.

Him coming to caused adrenaline to spurt throughout his torso and chest, causing his legs and arms to respond accordingly by pushing himself backwards in a reversed crab crawl. He was stopped, for the crawl space was occupied by the boundaries of a wooden surface. Upon further inspection of his surroundings, Akio saw himself lying on a floor cot, placed in a room surrounded by wooden walls.

The first question to bear in mind upon realizing his situation was to question his location. Despite the peaceful aura that appeared to greet him from every corner he twitched and turned, there remained superstition and high alert.

Springing up, he instinctively reached over to his side to feel for the weapon that he always relied on being there. A stream of shock slithered through his hands and arms when he did not feel his fingertips press against the metal surface of his lightsaber, for there was no lightsaber to grab.

Akio used his eyes, looking down, sporadically trying to feel for his belongings. Both weapons he had in his possession, the Holocrons that contained the information vital to moving the future forward, while rekindling some understanding of the past, were now missing.

With every ounce of restraint and sensible thinking that he had, Akio breathed deeply, placing his palm onto the wall as he leaned his weight into it, trying to relax and cool himself off. All that needed to be done was to feel them out through the Force, to detect any radiance of energy that would come from the crystals embedded in both lightsabers and Holocrons.

With an utmost amount of urgency, he flicked open the cabinet that which held his belongings, and brought his weapon up to life as he held his Holocron in his left, and his active lightsaber on the right.

Though his heart raced, he persevered with an open sense of self-control, and took slow steps forward towards the door, while packing away the Holocron into one of his packets for the time being.

Gently, he clutched the knob and slowly turned it and pulled whilst a distinctive creak announced itself through the hinges of the door.

There was little sights to be seen, for there was merely a small sized area of a home that only appeared to contain the comforts of a neatly organized home that was far from luxurious, but yet it appeared sustainable for those who did live there.

The owners of the home were not present, but Akio was sure to take note of what made up the small area of the home. Wooden furniture spread neatly in a dining area, with a small area isolated with a wooden wall for the kitchen area. Upon further inspection, Akio saw the two doors alongside one another.

After inspecting one other door that led to a small room with a single cot inside of it, he opened the other for the wind to greet him with a slight breeze. The combination of the ambient wind, along with the sight of the luscious colors of the green grass and wooden brown housing decorating the town brought about the realization of something that he had been struggling to find.

Peace.

* * *

Confusion clouded the mind of both Akio, and the inhabitants that surrounded the chattering streets, speaking the English language.

He felt that it was best to remain level headed, while coping with the surreal sight of the qualities of animals fused together with human beings.

He could not comprehend how this came to be.

Furry tails, reptilian scales, and horns were a few of the sights that shrouded the neighbourhood. Besides the qualities in question, he was able to take in how lightly dressed they were due to the extreme heat. Though not intimidated, he was weary of the intense glaring that was shot at him with each step that Akio took.

Everyone around was looking at him.

Some appeared to be staring out of curiosity, others concern, and even some were staring out of anger. Further watching with an observant eye, Akio saw no one without the attributes of an animal. Or perhaps it was them being alert of the soldier that he was dressed as, as opposed to the Jedi or young student?

The questions were formulating and circulating within his mind, but he had to shove past them if he were to gain the answer that he were to seek.

Where was this place? Why was he there?

"Excuse me, mister?"

The suddenness of a young voice yanked his attention in the direction behind him. The child that spoke to him was almost half his size. A young boy that which Akio could suspect to be no less than ten years of age, possessing the qualities that which a cat would have. Small, yet noticeable triangular cat ears extended beyond the reaches of his flat black hair, and the young child wore a light blue shorts, and a hazel top.

"Can you please spare some change?"

"I must apologize. I possess no wealth. I am afraid that I cannot spare you anything."

It was the truth, Akio's need of currency diminished with the rest of the Earth when Z-Day depleted the world of its sustainability. Even working with the Self Defense Force gained him no profit. However, the child appeared displeased with the response that he received.

"PLEASE MISTER!" The boy continued to persist. "My mommy! She's very sick!"

Something sinfully dreadful stung the innards of his face, flowing down through his throat and into his stomach. A plea for help was the very thing that he hadn't willfully been called for, besides the duty's that had drawn him for assistance in the darkest of times. He yearned for the child's secure future, for he knew how the pain of loss could affect future endeavours.

"I…where is your mother?" Akio questioned, swallowing the painful possibility of him being unable to provide assistance.

"At home…" The child wept but persevered. "And daddy's gone to work overseas. We haven't-"

The youngster could not bear the pain any longer. His small knees bumped against the sandy ground as he held his head down and poured out roaring tears that expressed the awareness of his outer and inner struggles.

"Daddy…please come home...I miss you! Mommy misses you! I don't want you to continue working in those mines! We need you, daddy!"

"Mines…?" Akio inquired to himself, kneeling down to listen to the child more closely. "Your father works in a mine?"

Upon hearing the faintest sound of boots crunching against the sandy ground, steering closer to him as it grew louder, Akio shifted his head quickly to the middle aged pair stood their ground with large, wide baskets balanced over their heads.

"Is there a problem here? Oh…well, look who finally decided to go wandering about on his own! He's already appearing lively and healthy, wouldn't you agree?"

"You." Akio shot back up. "You were the ones who saved my life from that wretched desert?"

"Yes, son. Now, I don't know what prompted you to go out into the deserts, but as you know, Menagerie's deserts are nowhere near as habitable or kind as our village."

"Menagerie?" Akio noted.


	9. Chapter 5: Choices

Jewel and Cole Alban were the names of two laborers who had earned their income through the labors of gathering and selling their own grown crops, along with fish that they had managed to string up from beneath the ocean's surface.

The symbiotic cycle that would keep Jewel out at sea to fish as extensively as she can, while Cole would tend to the crops grown within their property, life could continue to go on as long as they had the strength to.

Akio had been a slight…diversion into their normal habits. Had Cole not found him, the Jedi would have most likely had no place to start upon his arrival to Menagerie, nor would he have been sat down calmly across the few people that he could lay his trust for the time being.

This was only able to work, for the two opened their doors to him first. More may reveal themselves to accept him, but time will test these connections. This made Akio further question what his return to Tokonosu City may result in.

"You're very lucky that I was able to come across you when I did." Cole commented. "So tell us…what's a young huntsmen such as yourself doing in travelling alone in Menagerie's wide open deserts?"

"A huntsmen?" Akio's eyebrow perked up as he responded.

"No? Not a huntsmen?" Cole then sipped from his tea and a lightly tapped the table upon placing his cup down. "I figured that someone such as yourself would carry the bold honor of such a title, especially one with a weapon such as that." He remarked, pointing to the lightsaber that hung on Akio's side.

"I carry this for my protection." Akio reached over to hold up his weapon. "I only wield this weapon when a desperate situation comes to challenge myself and others"

"Okay kid, you're definitely sounding a lot like a huntsmen, but _are you_ really what you say you are?"

"Cole, you're asking too many questions again." Jewel frowned.

"Well I…I hadn't even…" Cole sighed heavily, gripping the back of his head. "He's definitely no pushover. No one exactly comes back alive out there."

"Akio, you said your name was?" Jewel asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Sorry about my husband. Cole can get a little too riled up when it comes to asking things."

"Well, I am more than prepared to offer as much truth as I am able to see fit. But what disturbs me more is how I am able to proceed beyond today."

"I know that Jewel can nag me a bit on how many questions I ask a person, but do you have any families to go back to? Anyone you know around Remnant that you can consider as a close and trust friend?"

"They are…out of reach at the moment." Akio blurted out, gritting his teeth to give them a truth in one point of view. "You're the only ones that I know of to turn to. I know no one else."

"Alright, alright." Cole nodded his head. "So we'll let you stay, we don't have a problem with that but we're going to need something from you.

"Name your conditions." Akio said.

"You help us make the Lien to keep up, and maybe, JUST MAYBE, I'll let you keep some for yourself. I'll let you decide which one of us you want to work with. Jewel fishes and I watch our booth in the market."

"I am truly grateful for this offering." Akio bowed. "I'll do all I can to assist you both."

"Great to hear that!" Cole exclaimed. "And if there's anything you need from us, you let us know."

"There is one thing…"

"Already?" Cole snarled.

"Are there any geographical records that I may be able to study from? Maps? History? Any source of reading material?" Akio asked. "I need a reference to plan for the future."

"Leave Menagerie? I wouldn't do that if I were y-"

"Of course we can provide a map!" Jewel interrupted. "That's not a problem. After all, we can't guarantee that you'll stay with us forever so it'd be good to be looking into alternatives now."

"The only other place I see him going is Vale." Cole shrugged, standing up. "But if it's a map that you want, then I… _we_ will be happy to oblige. But that's all you're gonna get for now. Jewel can show you to your room now. I've had enough talking for one night, and we've got to rise early."

"Then I take my leave for the night."

* * *

Within the range of a dimly lit candle, Akio perched himself up against a wall, making sure that the small flame remained out of contact from the pages that he was reading from. The Geography that he was studying from was vastly different in comparison to his home.

'Remnant' as Akio had been previously told, shared little resemblance to a map that he would see had he been back on Earth.

The tiny flame had then extinguished, feeling a tight gulp wrap around his throat when total darkness enshrouded the space.

 _"Have you decided on what you're going to do?"_

He felt his heart freeze, and his fingers tremble as his palms remained open. He heard her voice once more, echo past through the thick walls of darkness.

 _"It's okay…there's nothing to be afraid of. It's only me."_

"Why Mizuki? Why-? What? What is this place? Was it you that cast me to this world?"

 _"I didn't mean for this to happen."_

"So it WAS you." He growled, summoning his saber in quick haste.

 _"No!"_

Replacing the blue flash that he would have expected to emerge from his weapon, was a mystical glowing blue hand appearing from beneath the transparent blue figure that stood before him. The transparent hand latched onto his, gently pleading for him to put the weapon down.

"I only wanted to help them, Mizuki. I wanted to continue on to find the cure."

 _"You have persevered despite the failure. Listen, I know that it was a hard decision for the both of us…but you didn't fail me."_

"But…" Akio exhaled, choking as he tightly closed his fist. "I still think about what would have become of our world had we…continued as we had hoped. What would have become of us?"

 _"I know. I have too but I need you to stay strong. I know that the Jedi who taught me to fight would continue on despite the hardship and the loss. This world of Remnant…you can make a difference here too, Akio. There are many choices that you can make, but you must remember to focus on your own well-being."_

"If this is a second chance to improve myself and sharpen my skills, then it a challenge that I shall willingly take myself upon in order to make things right. Mizuki…? What should I aim to achieve, if not returning to Tokonosu?"

 _"That is completely up to you. I can only do so much, Akio. This is a journey that you must take yourself. I need you to promise me that you will continue to try."_

"I do not try. I only do what must be done."

 _"Then I should leave you alone for now."_

"WAIT." He gestured towards the figure not to leave him as its shape began to fade away.

 _"We'll see each other soon. Goodbye, Akio."_


	10. Chapter 6: From Shadows

**A/N: I sincerely apologize for the long absence...**

 **I want to keep doing this story for as long as I can, but at times, I haven't been able to do so.**

 **And I want to make these longer, but I decided to just write something so it can possibly be fixed later on. For the time being, I hope you enjoy this new chapter, and I hope that my skill is somewhat in tact like so many months ago.**

 **~Buffalo.**

* * *

The rising light of dawn was imminent as Akio came to from his stone cold rest through the night. He sporadically shook his right hand as he instinctively opened and closed his eyes in moderate intervals.

He sighed as he clamped his wrist with his left hand, forcing his hand to halt its instinctive upbringing. Akio focused himself and took up the notes that he had kept from the previous night from the references he had been given, sitting up to review them once more.

He recalled the comment that Cole had made the night before.

 _"The only other place I see him going is Vale."_

Based upon the understanding of the text that he had been provided, it was one of four regions to house four important landmarks of the world.

Huntsmen Academies.

These 'Huntsmen' were the future breed of guardians to protect Remnant from any form of evil that were to plot against it. Even before he had reviewed a section of those known evils, he could feel a repulsive energy when he first arrived from a negative energy that made his fingertips coil.

He could feel them through the Force. Thankfully, these depictions of creatures titled the 'Grimm' were something that he had not encountered on Menagerie. He noted this encounter as an inevitability if he were to travel Remnant.

There was something else…something that he was unable to grasp. He could feel it shivering through his arms.

He needed to follow it.

* * *

By the time that he had stepped out into the semi-busy streets, the light of the sun had shifted had been slowly, but surely, creeping up from the horizon as he continued on in the dimly lit streets. Though he hadn't been sure that he needed his lightsaber, he kept his left hand on it in case he needed to get involved in diffusing a situation.

Though he wished it wouldn't come to that, he had been used to dissolving many situations with the use of a lightsaber. His mind crept on the memories of those infected patients, being left with no other option than to be slayed by the Jedi that promised to make things better, only for him to leave that promise unfulfilled. As much as he wished to brush off the situation, the radiating energy that had a very negative feel was getting much, much closer with each step he took upward.

"What's this?"

He stopped at his fast paced walking, and looked from where he stood. A straight shot down towards the rest of the tropical community that held together the homes of Menagerie's citizens. Squinting towards the desert landmasses that he could see past the end, he saw a rather large and distinctive home that appeared to stand taller and wider compared to the common box-like structures that covered the common area.

Taking a long, and thoughtful breath, he charged forward into a rather vigorous sprint towards the large structure, down the hill, with his lightsaber hilt in hand, charging past any citizen that was out early in the morning.

Halting to a stop, taking a moment to calm himself as he was within the radius of large structure. All that stood between himself and approaching the house was a small flight of stairs down.

Taking a leap forward, he skipped over all the steps and rolled upon landing to even himself out. Now clenching his lightsaber tightly, without activating the weapon, he perched himself up towards one of the pillars at the main entrance and simply listened on towards a very aggressive discussion about a common phrase that he kept hearing.

 _The White Fang._

From inside, growing ever closer towards the door at the top of the patio, he heard the aggressive voice of a female scream, "YOU COWARDS! ADAM AND I ARE GOING TO DO WHAT YOU WERE NEVER ABLE TO DO!"

Apart of him jumped as he heard the door atop being kicked open aggressively.

"Blake sweetie, please! Think about-"

"I don't _need_ to think about it, Mom! I've already decided what I'm going to do! I'm regrouping with Adam and the others in Vale, and we'll finish what you failed to do."

"BLAKE!" A man desperately called out.

"Goodbye!"

He heard movement approaching, and reacted by leaping high into the air and landing as quietly as he could on top of the triangular structure that covered the patio below. Watching onwards, he saw the girl that he heard yelling ran up the stairs back into Menagerie's neighbourhood. All he could see from her before she vanished from view was long black hair.

"…Blake?"


End file.
